Twilight of the Sultanate c13.s3.39

c13.s3.39

The campaign brought to Bahlūl many advantages. He had seized many strategic places like Patiali and Shamsābād. Besides he had taken prisoner forty important officers of Jaunpur, including its Prime Minister. Indeed Bahlūl's star was in the ascendant and his morale was high. But the youthful Husain could not make a correct appraisal of the situation, and after some time he again advanced against Sultan Bahlūl. A fierce battle was fought near Sonhar in Etah district⁹⁷ in which Husain was badly defeated. An immense amount of booty fell into the hands of Bahlūl Lodī which added to his strength and influence. Sultan Husain retreated to Rapri in such desperate hurry that, while crossing the Jumna, many of his officers, wives and children were drowned.⁹⁸ This caused him great affliction.⁹⁹ The fugitive took a detour via Gwalior on his way to Jaunpur, but near Hathkant he was attacked by a band of Bhadauriā Rajputs,¹⁰⁰ who plundered whatever little had been left with him. Broken and tired he reached Gwalior, whose Raja, because of old friendship, offered him every help and escorted him up to Kalpi.¹⁰¹